Unique Flavor Combinations Win Salad Contest

We'd really like to toot our own horn today, maybe shout from the rooftops; how about a sky-writer? What's the reason? Our own, Doodles is a Grand-Prize winner in a recipe contest. You can find her and her recipe for the truly unique Cantaloupe and Gorgonzola Salad on page 4 of the August/September 2008 issue of Cook's Country magazine. This is most exciting and well deserved and we couldn't be prouder.

Edited to add the original post of the recipe

Cook's Country is from the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine and the TV cooking show, America's Test Kitchen. Also in this issue they talk about their new show coming to Public Television. That would be very cool if they made Doodle's salad on the show.

Message from Doodles: Boy that would have been way cool … maybe since they are starting a new show they will highlight winners recipes from their past contests. Oh am I a dreamer HA!!!

When Moon called to tell me I had won, well let's just say, I was over the top with JOY. Funny they don't let you know prior to publication they let ya sweat it out until the magazine hits the stands. I have never won anything like this in my life; thrilled beyond imagination.

OK, now a little plug for the magazine … it's quite nice and NO ads, none, nada. They do have a few "tearouts" for their magazine subscriptions. The magazine layout is quite good and handy to keep as a reference guide for future use as is their other publication Cook's Illustrated. As you can see I am quite fond of the magazines and no they didn't pay me to say this however I did win $1,000 Wooooo Hooo!!!

August Food Bloggy Pets of the Month

Just a reminder--

we'll be collecting the first Food Bloggy Pets of the Month posts for August so get your permalinks sent by the 28th of July. E-mail at pbetouffee@gmail.com.

We are looking forward to seeing some old friends, pay attention Ziggy and Mr Woofy, and meeting some new ones.

We're going to try this for a few months to see if it raises like good bread or falls like a flan in the cupboard.

The gauntlet has been tossed

Food events are shameless attempts to enhance a blogs following and Freya and Paul at Writing at the Kitchen Table are, pardon the pun, cooking up a fine one. This Big Burger Ballyhoo 2007 comes just it time to limber up the BBQ muscle and cook up a mess o'burgers.

This is a challenge to all you burger-loving mommas and papas and especially the other women here at PBE, to get your boyga on. Plenty of time, May 15, is the deadline for entries. Check out their post for more info.

We'd sing but we'd lose everyone

If there is any champagne left we'd like to wish one of our very own a Happy Birthday! Doodles, take a bow.

Party when you get here.

So make us a cake, already

The PBE women are celebrating our one year anniversary. We thought it would be fun to have a virtual cake to go with our virtual anniversary and since it would be totally self-serving to ask you kind readers so we are making our own.

The year has just scooted by. Our very first post was from lil bird and it was a restaurant review. We've posted a number of Week-end Dog Blogging on Sweetnick's site, some original recipes and reviews and remember when lil bird made Kimchi? Doodle's Unusual Paring has become a standard summer lunch and re-reading my own self-imposed challenge, Please, let them eat cake made me laugh just to remember. Too many cakes!

We've come a long way since last year, have hooked up with some interesting food bloggers and had a hell of a good time playing with our food.

Watch for our three cakes coming soon.